Middlesbrough need to improve if they want to win promotion from the Championship this season.
Boro ended 2023/24 sat four points outside the play-off places – a disappointing result for Michael Carrick.
The former Manchester United ace took the Teessiders to the play-off semi-finals the campaign prior after a fourth-place finish.
But injury issues and the need to revamp Middlesbrough’s first-team squad after a mass exodus in the summer of 2023 greatly hampered the Teessiders.
With all their key faces kept at the Riverside Stadium this summer, however, expectations were high going into 2024/25.
So far though, Middlesbrough have looked a shadow of the team that lost just one of their last 12 Championship fixtures last season.
After a defeat to local rivals Sunderland last time out, Boro have moved down to 12th in the Championship table.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 10 |  DerbyDerby | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 9 |
| 11 |  NorwichNorwich | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 8 |
| 12 |  MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 8 |
| 13 |  Bristol CityBristol City | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 12 | -4 | 8 |
Middlesbrough face Stoke City on Saturday and anything but a win from that game could prove detrimental to their promotion hopes.
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Opta predict where Middlesbrough will finish 2024/25 Championship season
Middlesbrough last won promotion to the Premier League in 2015/16 under Aitor Karanka.
Since then, several managers including Tony Pulis, Neil Warnock and Chris Wilder have tried and failed to get Boro back in the top flight.
Carrick’s fourth-place finish in 2022/23 was their best since their relegation back to the second division, with a fifth-place finish in 2017/18 the only other time Middlesbrough have made it into the play-offs since 2016/17.
That could be about to change this season, however, as Opta have now predicted the final 2024/25 Championship table.
It is semi-good news for the North East outfit, who are predicted to earn 69 points and finish sixth in the division, just about securing a play-off place ahead of Blackburn Rovers.
West Bromwich Albion are being backed to win the Championship, with Leeds United taking second place.
- READ MORE: Middlesbrough expert explains real reason ‘outstanding’ ace is underperforming for Michael Carrick
Middlesbrough record in Championship play-offs
Since its rebrand in 2004/05, Middlesbrough have competed in the Championship play-offs on three occasions.
Karanka took the North East outfit all the way to Wembley in 2014/15 before watching Boro lose to Norwich City in the final.
Middlesbrough then made it into the play-offs for a second time in 2017/18 but fared even worse.
Boro faced Aston Villa in the semi-finals and lost the home leg 1-0 before drawing 0-0 at Villa Park three days later.
It was a similarly boring story in 2022/23 when Middlesbrough drew 0-0 away to Coventry City before losing the second leg 1-0 at the Riverside.
With such a dismal record in the competition, Boro fans are no doubt desperate to see their side secure an automatic promotion place instead of having to battle it out in the play-offs come May.